Office Furniture Contracts (Scotland)

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what measures he is taking to make sure that the purchase of office furniture by his Department is directed to Scotland and other development areas; and if he will provide a table of relevant statistics.

Firms in Scotland and other Development Areas are invited to tender for Ministry contracts wherever possible; if they are not successful in obtaining the whole contract they are offered a part of it provided they can meet a specified price and their offer is otherwise satisfactory.

Contracts for office furniture to the value of £288,000 have in the last year been given to firms manufacturing in Scotland and to the value of £651,000 to firms operating in other Development Areas, out of total purchases of office furniture of an estimated value of £5 million per annum.